IS the WIZ’S FUTURE BRIGHTER??

Heading into tonight’s game, the 76ers face a Washington Wizards team that has a similar record and future outlook going forward, if you are only looking at things on the surface.

As you peek down the rabbit hole, that judgement seems wrong. It also depends on how you are looking at things as well as your opinion on what you want out of a bright future.

Since it seems obvious that the 76ers aren’t going to tank in 2013-14 for Wiggins, there is no doubt that Washington is right now in a better place than the 76ers.

The 76ers still have the Bynum decision looming and the domino effect from that. There is still an opportunity to keep and subsequently, overpay for Evan Turner. Spencer Hawes might be given away for nothing. Thad may never be given free reign to expand his game to the 3pt line. Dorell Wright may be let go. Cody Zeller could be the 76ers first round pick. DC and Dileo could conceivably hold power at least one more year. The possibility for mistakes is endless

The Wizards have far less mistakes to be made. The team is essentially locked in salary cap wise for next year and will likely be drafting a SF/PF where outside of Neol, Ben and Smart, is the deepest set of talent this year.

With a full healthy off-season ahead, John Wall looks like he will ascend to the pantheon of “much watch players” every night of the year. Wall makes things so much easier on his teammates, it really comes down to him.

If NeNe can stay healthy next year, Okafor+Ariza can play stingy D for 30 mpg, Beal continues to impress (he was very good with Wall), and there other young players contribute, the Wizards will be in the playoffs next year and the foreseeable future. The team will also have a bunch of cap room after next season, upwards of $30,000,000 to build around a core of Wall+Nene+Beal.

The 76ers have assured themselves years of lower level mediocrity IF the front office and owners are stubborn and try to add a single piece this off-season. Even if a game plan like what was laid out in this Philadunkia post happens, the 76ers still are devoid of the long term young talent that can evolve into a championship team.

Looking around the league, the argument could be made that the 76ers are in the worst place of any franchise outside of Toronto and the Los Angeles Lakers, the former because their GM is terrible while seemingly having full autonomy and the latter because of immense expectations that can’t be attained.

Tonight’s match-up is one that seems to have 2 franchise with much in common, but only at a glance